Trump issues entry bans for the USA: Impact on travelers
For many people, traveling to the United States could soon become more complicated. The government has imposed entry bans, as it did during Donald Trump's first term in office.
After an initial list was published in March 2025, which was intended to completely or partially restrict entry for people from 43 countries , the decree was revised. The ban now published still affects 19 countries . Only 12 have a blanket entry ban.
During his first term, Trump issued travel bans on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. This caused chaos in part because Trump issued the bans without warning. Some people only learned they had been denied entry after arriving in the United States.
In addition to blanket bans, the current entry bans are also intended to include countries for which there are, for example, visa restrictions, but no general bans.
A general ban on entry to the United States has been imposed on people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen .
Entry into these countries will be restricted, but not completely banned. Visas could then be issued to business travelers, for example. However, vacation, study, or immigration to the United States would not be possible. The countries affected are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela .
Announcing the travel bans, Trump stated: "The recent terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, has highlighted the extreme danger to our country from the entry of foreign nationals who have not been properly vetted and from individuals who arrive as temporary visitors and overstay their visas."
The attack is said to have been planned by an Egyptian. Egypt is not affected in any way by the travel bans to the United States.
According to Trump, the reasons for the entry bans are that the affected countries are not cooperating properly with the US in issuing visas. They are also unable to verify travelers' identities, maintain inadequate criminal records, and many people from these countries are overstaying their US visas.
Trump justified the travel ban on the grounds of national security. However, the New York Times quotes critics who say the bans discriminate against people based solely on their ethnicity.
Those who already have a valid visa for the USA can consider themselves lucky. Existing visas will be exempt from the ban.
Donald Trump reintroduces entry bans into the USA.
Source: IMAGO/UPI Photo
In addition, there are exceptions to the entry ban for Green Card holders and for athletes entering the USA for the World Cup or the Olympic Games.
Also not affected are people from Afghanistan who are eligible for the US Special Immigrant Visa program, which is intended for people who helped the US government during the war in Afghanistan.
Even if you don't need a visa for the USA, you should still do your research before traveling. The Trump administration has issued a so-called gender decree stating that there are now only two genders in the USA. People with an X in their passport or whose current gender entry doesn't match their birth gender could face problems .
According to the Federal Foreign Office, anyone who might be affected by the decree should not simply attempt to enter the country with an ESTA, but should contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. Due to the decree, the Federal Foreign Office has revised its travel and safety advice for the USA. The USA also falls significantly in the ranking of the safest countries for LGBTQ+ travelers in the internationally recognized "Gay Travel Index."
Even with a valid visa or ESTA, entering the United States is always a bit more stressful for many people than it is for many other countries in the world. Given the current course of the Trump administration, it's to be expected that US border patrol agents will continue to keep a close eye on things in the future.
We've detailed the documents and other travel papers required for successful entry into the USA here . Tips for your own behavior upon entry and what border officials will ask can be found here .
And if you don't feel like going through border control in the US, you can simply skip it and enter the US anyway. Many people don't know this, but at some airports outside the US, you can get through border control there —for example, in Ireland.
What do travelers need to know right now? You can find all the important vacation news at reisereporter , and the latest travel offers on our deals page .
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